1984 riots case: Congress leader Jagdish Tytler gets anticipatory bail

On Wednesday, the court had reserved an order on the anticipatory bail plea filed by the former Minister of State; medical conditions, mental health issues and old age were cited by Tytler’s counsel as grounds to seek anticipatory bail during the arguments in court.

Lawyer Harvinder Singh Phoolka, representing the complainants, had opposed Tytler’s plea on two grounds – that allegations against him were of committing very grave crimes and that he was an influential person who could influence the witnesses.

In May, the CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet against Tytler based on statements of new witnesses who claimed they saw him allegedly instigating the mob which had assembled at Azad Market’s Pul Bangash Gurdwara on November 1, 1984, following which it was burnt down and three persons were killed.

The chargesheet alleged that Tytler “incited, instigated and provoked” the mob, after which he had moved an anticipatory bail plea at Rouse Avenue Court on August 1.

On July 26, the Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Vidhi Gupta Anand took cognizance of a chargesheet against Tytler, observing that there was “sufficient material available on record” to proceed against him in the case.

ACMM Anand had stated that public prosecutor Amit Jindal had placed reliance on statements of two new eyewitnesses who had seen Tytler at the spot. After taking cognizance of the chargesheet, Tytler was summoned by Judge Anand to appear on August 5.